Bharati Kapadia was born in Mumbai in 1946 and studied at Sir J.J. School of Applied Arts, Mumbai. She had a solo exhibition at Chemould Gallery, Lakeeren Art Gallery and Jehangir Art Gallery. She has participated in various group shows, "A Nest for Sparrow" and "Seven Painters", Jehangir Art Gallery in addition, she has participated in a six month Artists-in-Residentship, Seattle, U.S.A., and was invited to participate in an exhibition "The...
Read MoreBharati Kapadia was born in Mumbai in 1946 and studied at Sir J.J. School of Applied Arts, Mumbai. She had a solo exhibition at Chemould Gallery, Lakeeren Art Gallery and Jehangir Art Gallery. She has participated in various group shows, "A Nest for Sparrow" and "Seven Painters", Jehangir Art Gallery in addition, she has participated in a six month Artists-in-Residentship, Seattle, U.S.A., and was invited to participate in an exhibition "The Search Within", in Austria in 1998.
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An exhibition of paintings by Bharati Kapadia at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
from 28 November to 4 December 2000.

Roshan Jagatrai in Conversation with Bharati Kapadia

R : What prompted you to shift from work on flat surfaces to the
construction of the artefact ?

B : In 1991, when I was engaged with mixed media on paper paintings, I’d
already begun to conceive 3-dimensional objects, that had elements stuck
on like collages. During the 93 communal riots in Bombay, I saw
holocausts and despair from my seventh floor flat; I saw fires burning
and people wailing and the police standing around doing nothing. Some
aspect of feeling helpless, angry and wanting to energise my method and
materials with the power of signs began to change my attitude .
Tearing, sticking, and stitching paper were expressions which met my
perceptions of making alternative art objects .In 94, I was invited to
Seattle as artist in residence. I came back with renewed effort made
towards working this way on paper peeling it and using rope and
threads. The physicality of material was important and enjoyable. The
interaction with paper and rope led to work with fabric, and thread and
the dry peepul leaf. The loose stitches took on calligraphic meaning for
me.

R : You have evoked iconography of the Buddha . Sometimes it is a
concrete formal reference as a figure outline but at other times, as in
your current series, your embroidered screens appear as ritual
offerings a transfiguration of the idea of an empty bhikshu’s bowl.

B : There was a huge banyan tree at the site I was supposed to have
worked on for the Kala Ghoda Festival. The idea of the Bodhi tree
Knowledge, Birth and Death took hold of me. So I drew the Buddha
figure. I felt a bond between the tree the Buddha and myself.

R: The graphic nature of your present art objects, has much to do with
the notion of an interrupted and endless space.

B : Space, for me is an invisible presence, it is also a substance. The
nylon fabric gives me the opportunity to work with transparency, cutting
through it allows me to open another dimension. It is giving shape to
negative space. On paper and canvas, you create negative and positive
space. Here, you keep designing the emptiness. Nylon cloth is a
self-effacing material. The quality of mystery it evokes, is a quality
of life manifesting itself. I would like to keep a sense of wonder
alive on the surface.

R: On the whole, the painted surfaces of the framed screen do not have a
focal point. One sees a tapestry of shapes and colours. This technique
encourages the gaze to slide all over the place, capturing subtle
changes, looking for hidden significance.

B : I think I am involving the spectator in the aesthetics of the
elusive. The moment I start making a perfect and concrete form, I tend
to dismantle it. It is like problem solving in the process of thinking.
I don’t have a monolithic statement to make. I like to suggest various
energies with the materials that I use.

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Certain lots have been marked with the sign
.
These Lots are not situated in India and therefore, may only be purchased in USD.
Persons residing in India, wishing to bid in USD must be eligible under the various
foreign exchange regulations to make payments overseas. Please sign the
declaration and fax it back to Saffronart at (91 22) 24321187. Please contact
Saffronart for further details.

Certain lots have been marked with the sign
.
These Lots are not situated in India and therefore, may only be purchased in USD.
Persons residing in India, wishing to bid in USD must be eligible under the various
foreign exchange regulations to make payments overseas. Please sign the
declaration and fax it back to Saffronart at (91 22) 24321187. Please contact
Saffronart for further details.

Certain lots have been marked with the sign
.
These Lots are not situated in India and therefore, may only be purchased in USD.
Persons residing in India, wishing to bid in USD must be eligible under the various
foreign exchange regulations to make payments overseas. Please sign the
declaration and fax it back to Saffronart at (91 22) 24321187. Please contact
Saffronart for further details.